Baseball

ASC Baseball Players of the Week (7) | Landry, Smosna, Neely, Franz

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE BASEBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Games: March 19-20; 22-23, 2024
 
Co-HITTER OF THE WEEK – Zach Landry, 1B, Gr., UT Dallas
UT Dallas graduate student first baseman Zach Landry (Dallas, Texas) hit .583 (7-for-12) with six runs, a double, two home runs and 10 RBI in the Comets' three-game sweep at Sul Ross State. He was 4-for-5 in the opener, scoring four times with seven batted in and two home runs. Landry followed with a school record three sacrifice flies in Friday's nightcap and went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored in the finale.
 
Co-HITTER OF THE WEEK – Michael Smosna, C, So., McMurry
McMurry sophomore catcher Michael Smosna (Lubbock, Texas) knocked a huge game-winning hit to lift the War Hawks to a series sweep over ASC foe Ozarks. He totaled a 5-for-9 series with a pair of home runs, eight RBI, and three runs scored. He also walked and stole a base in one try. Smosna had a hit and RBI in all three games and his final one of the series came in the ninth to erase a one-run deficit with one out to give MCM its first conference three-game sweep since April 29-30, 2022 versus Concordia Texas.

Co-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Jagger Neely, RHP, Sr., East Texas Baptist
East Texas Baptist senior right-handed pitcher Jagger Neely (Montgomery, Texas) aced 33 batters walking one and recording 8 strikeouts vs. #20 UMHB who had been averaging 8 runs per game in their previous three ASC series. He shut out the Crusaders not allowing any runs and only in the first and second inning a runner made it to second base. He retired the side in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings.
 
Co-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Otto Franz, LHP, Sr., Concordia Texas
Concordia Texas senior left-handed pitcher Otto Franz (Austin, Texas) tossed a complete game one hitter in game two against Hardin-Simmons, securing five strikeouts and did not allow base hit until the final inning (7th) of the game.
 
OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES AT THE PLATE
LeTourneau senior outfielder Dane Jones (Keller, Texas) batted .571 (8-for-14) with two home runs, eight RBIs, six runs scored, and an OPS of 1.727 in a 2-2 week for the YellowJackets. He went 2-for-3 with a walk-off grand slam in a 9-6, 10-inning win over Lyon on Tuesday night. He then went a combined 6-for-11 with a home run, four RBIs, and three runs scored in a three-
game series at Howard Payne. Jones continues to lead Division III in home runs with 12 on the year.
 
Howard Payne junior center fielder William Burford (Sugar Land, Texas) led the Yellow Jackets to a 16-8 comeback win versus LeTourneau this past week. Burford nailed a ball to left field leading to a double and three RBI to take a 9-8 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. He would go 3-of-4 with five RBI, a double, and one run scored in the victory. Burford finished the week boasting a .667 batting average while notching two doubles as well.
 
East Texas Baptist junior shortstop Dylan Burnaman (Sugarland, Texas) hit over .600 against nationally ranked pitching with one strikeout, one walk, and one sacrifice fly. He went 4-for-4 in the 5-0 win in game of the series with a stolen base and scored twice. In the game three, 3-0, win, he was 2-of-4 with a RBI. He singled in the third run of the game in the 8th inning.
 
Concordia Texas first baseman/outfielder Colby Christian (Porter, Texas) hit two home runs against #12 Trinity. In the three-game series against Hardin-Simmons Christian tallied in a total of 4 RBI off of two hits.

Sul Ross State senior first baseman Carsen Thor (Tomball, Texas) finished eight-for-15 in a high-scoring series against UT Dallas. He went 2-for-4 with a double, home run, and two RBI in game one. In game two, he followed that up with a four-hit performance and RBI. In the series finale, Thor was 2-for-5 with an RBI.
 
OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES ON THE MOUND
Mary Hardin-Baylor senior left-handed pitcher Rahul Champaneri (Mundelein, Ill.) earned the win in the Cru's win over No. 5 ETBU. He allowed just four hits with one earned run in the contest. Champaneri faced 21 batters, walking just one with three strikeouts.
 
Howard Payne junior relief pitcher Brandon Taylor (Spring Branch, Texas) appeared in all three games this past week for the Yellow Jackets while earning the win in a 6-4 victory over LeTourneau. Taylor pitched 4.0 innings during the week allowing zero earned runs to uphold a 0.00 ERA for all three games. He also notched three punchouts and held opposing batters to a .188 batting average.
 
McMurry freshman right-handed pitcher Ethan Wendel (Louis, Texas) went the distance in game one of a three-game series sweep over Ozarks. He logged seven innings and worked around a pair of hits and walks, while striking out six.
 
UT Dallas junior right-handed pitcher Derek Brieden (Conroe, Texas) picked up the win in Friday's 21-15 victory at Sul Ross State. He took the mound in relief in the sixth, allowing two hits and an unearned run while striking out four over 2.2 innings. Brieden's performance allowed the Comets complete a comeback win.
 
LeTourneau junior right-handed pitcher Dalton Pickett (Euless, Texas) picked up the win and produced the longest start of his career as he went 8.2 innings in a 6-4 win at Howard Payne in the series opener. He allowed four runs, but had a stretch of seven straight scoreless innings. Pickett struck out four and did not allow a walk in collecting his second win of the year.